Sometimes I wish I could be totally honest here. Actually, I wish I could be totally honest here all the time, but as a representative of the league, I must bite my tongue when I am tempted to share my humble opinions, even though there may be a couple of other people "sitting the bench" who would agree with my opinion of why Houston Roller Derby lost the championship game of the 2007 Governor's Cup. Since I can't be open and honest about league strategies, I'm going to focus on another disappointment that should be painfully obvious to everyone: attendance sucked!
I was expecting to skate in front of a couple of thousand people last night, from all over the state of Texas. I doubt we had half that number at the highest point. Why? Did we not market? We were lucky enough to be featured in the Chronicle's Preview last Thursday. Did people stay home to watch the Emmys? Use your DVR! Or football? If my husband missed a whole day of obsessively checking his fantasy stats and lived, then anybody can do it. Was $20 too much to pay to see five gangs of raving lunatics beat each other to bloody pulps? I know people pay more than that to watch UFC on pay-per-view. What are we doing wrong?
We, the skaters and a few die-hard fans, go on and on about this being a sport...well, real sports have spectators, and unless we get a steady number of paying customers for every bout, then roller derby, at least in Houston, will always be just a recreational activity. Now tell my beaten and bruised body that I'm just participating in a recreational activity...it might never forgive you.
I have my own insights from last night's game too...hesitant to write them as Im not sure who all from HRD knows about it....
ReplyDeleteThere are eyes everywhere...always lurking...
ReplyDeleteYes, attendance was awful. I couldn't believe it. I felt like there were fewer people than there were at Gov's Cup last year.
ReplyDeleteI can't remember how much tickets were in Austin last year- but perhaps that was a reason.
Although, as a player and someone who loves to watch derby- I can't imagine why anyone would think $20 would be too much to see 5 WFTDA leagues compete. Can't understand that.
eep - I think there is a need for a "true roller derby confessions" website . . . I'd contribute to it . . .
ReplyDeletegirl, tell me about it! I was really surprised at the small crowd. Some people just don't know what they're missing. You gals put up an awesome fight. See ya at practice!
ReplyDeleteMaybe all your fans have mono and parvo?
ReplyDeleteNo, that's probably just me.
I think you're right, Jenny...it is just you :), but you may be on to something...
ReplyDeleteWe can threaten to infect people with mono and parvo if they don't start buying tickets to our bouts. Wait, what am I thinking??? Our fans would like that.